...where children are happy to learn
Taking Enrolments
Now for 2025!
1 Watts Place West Hoxton NSW 2171
ph: (02) 9825 8822 mob: 0426 972 893
Welcome to April
Dear Parents/Families,
Welcome to the month of Easter.
We can’t wait for the Easter bunny to come around and do its annual visit to HDKWH. We are so excited for all the festivities coming up this month. Don’t’ forget to check our events board, emails and OWNA app to keep on top of all our upcoming events and important reminders/messages. Participating in these events helps educators plan for future events and shows great partnerships with families when it comes to assessment and rating. HDK’S parent committee is open for new committee members, if you are interested, please shoot Miss Ashley an email and she can add you into our mailing list. We completely understand parents and families’ busy schedules which is why our parent committee is email based.
What's On?
Happy Days Emergency Drills
We will be holding the following emergency drills at the kindy:
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Friday 4th April – Fire evacuation
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Tuesday 22nd April – Bushfire Evacuation
We have prepared the children for these drills, however, please continue the discussions at home so they can be better prepared.
International Kite Festival -
Wednesday, 16th of April
The international kite festival is an annual event that is celebrated in many different countries. Here at Happy Days, we invite the children to bring their own kite to partake in a kite flying experience in our outdoor playground. The children will also learn about the kites and complete arts and crafts activities. We also encourage you to celebrate the day with your family, take pictures, and bring them for your child to share at news time.
Anzac Day
Thursday, 24th of April
The meaning of ANZAC Day today includes the remembrance of all Australians that passed in the military operations. At Happy Days we will be learning about why we celebrate ANZAC Day here in Australia. If everyone could come to school dressed in red to represent a poppy and as a sign of respect. There will be poppy lapel pins for sale in our foyer with all proceeds being donated to the ANZAC Day foundation. The children will also be learning about why this day is so important through educational videos and arts and craft activities.
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Purple for Epilepsy –
Wednesday 2nd April
The epilepsy foundation's mission is to lead the fight to overcome the challenges of living with epilepsy and to accelerate therapies to stop seizures, find cures, and save lives. Come to school dressed in purple, purchase a cupcake, and don’t forget to donate a gold coin. All money raised will be donated to the Epilepsy Foundation.
Easter Hat Parade -
Thursday, 17th of April
WOO HOO, our annual Easter Parade is less than a month away. We are so excited to welcome you to enjoy one of the greatest events at HDKWH. We have so much planned for our families and the children. We are kicking off our parade with the Little Learners doing their hat parade at exactly 2:30pm, followed by the Big Explorers. We highly recommend you arrive at least 10 minutes earlier to grab yourself a spot in our outdoor playground. If you can't make, don't stress; we will be recording and taking photos for you to see on OWNA. Once the Hat Parade finishes, we will be hosting a variety of activities, such as an Easter egg hunt, arts and crafts, biscuit decorating, and an egg and spoon race. We have also hired a professional face painter and a large foam playground with a ball pit. We will be selling balloons, lollies, popcorn, fairy floss, halal hot dogs, and, of course, RAFFLE TICKETS. We will have our annual Easter raffle, where you will get a chance to win some awesome prizes. We also have a lolly guessing jar. And we can't forget the very special visit from the Easter Bunny.
We are so excited, and we hope you are too. Don't forget to put your orders in for your child to make either an Easter hat or bunny ears. Raffle tickets will go on sale as of Monday, the 24th of March. Please ask our educators about purchasing raffle tickets.
PLEASE NOTE: The centre car park will be closed early to set up for the event.
Community Engagement
Check out what is happening in our community for the month of April!
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Family Fun Day at Casula, Saturday 5th April @ 8am to 3pm
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Most Blesses Nights Street Food Market at Macquarie Mall, Liverpool from 17th to 20th April.
World Autism Day -
Monday, 17th of April
Autism or autism spectrum disorder (ASD) refers to a broad range of conditions characterized by challenges with social skills, repetitive behaviours, speech, and nonverbal communication. Many people with autism experience other medical, behavioural, or mental health issues that affect their quality of life. So, when you come to school, don’t forget to donate a gold coin and purchase a cookie or autism awareness bracelet. All proceeds raised will go towards the Autism Speaks Foundation.
Public Holiday dates during the month of April
Good Friday – Friday 18th April
As we begin the celebration of Easter, we will be closed on Good Friday as it is a public holiday.
Easter Monday – Monday 21st April
As we begin the celebration of Easter, we will be closed on Easter Monday as it is a public holiday.
ANZAC Day – Friday 25th April
Due to the Anzac Day public holiday, the centre will be closed.
We're Going Off The Grid
Thursday 10th & Wednesday 30th April
The team at HDK often follow many early childhood social media pages to ensure they keep up to date within the industry and a term that has often been brought up is “off the grid”. I’m sure no matter what time you have walked in during morning drop off you have seen all educators with either an iPad or laptop in hand ready to capture as many moments as they can so that they can then upload them to our program Xplor so that you can stay up to date with what your children are doing whilst in our care. As you know technology has taken over a huge chunk of our lives, it’s how we communicate and complete our work and when we get some spare time it's what we use to wind down. Being that technology is such a big part of our lives it is only expected that our children are introduced to it at such a young age. Here at HDK and in many childcare centre’s technology is how we communicate with you regarding your children, which means technology is eating up a big part of the educator's time instead of spending it one on one with your children. Many centres are now going off the grid once or twice a month so that they can maximise their time with your children, forming relationships and just playing. It’s a spontaneous day where the decisions are left up to the children and what they feel like doing for the whole day whether it be painting with their feet, cooking, building castles and forts using furniture, the ideas are endless and completely up to the children. When “off the grid” takes place educators are to put away all technology iPads and laptops and no photos will be taken, no updates will be uploaded to Xplor except for mealtimes, sleep, and nappy change. “Off-the-grid” days will change every month so that every child gets to experience such a fun day and if you would like to know what we got up to feel free to speak to an educator or simply just ask your children. We would love to hear your feedback on what you think about being “off the grid” twice a month.
Important Reminders
Control of Infectious Illnesses
Please HELP us contain infectious illnesses by keeping your child at home when they are sick. If your child is absent from school due to an illness, please make sure to bring in a clearance letter from the doctors on their next booked day. If your child has been sent home from school on their booked day, in correspondence to our SICK CHILDREN’S POLICY, your child must stay home for 24 hours before bringing them back, to reduce the spread of illnesses.
Staff have the right to turn down your child’s attendance if they are experiencing any flu-like symptoms or have had Panadol or Nurofen prior to attending the centre. Please do not “Dose and Dump”.
What to Pack
This is just a friendly reminder on what to pack for your child when attending Happy Days.
In your child's bag they must have the following (ALL LABELLED with your child's name):
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Spare clothes suited for the season and weather, including short sleeve/long sleeve t-shirt, shorts and pants, underwear, socks, jumpers or jackets.
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Bedding including a fitted sheet and blanket
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A water bottle
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Nappies or pull ups if required
Safe sleep
Safe sleep practices you can implement in your home
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Always place baby on back for sleep, not on their tummy or side
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Keep your baby’s head and face uncovered. Covering baby’s face or head with clothing such as a hat increases the risk of sudden infant death.
-
Keep your baby smoke-free before and after birth.
-
Have a safe sleeping environment night and day. Make sure the mattress is firm, clean and flat, in a safe cot that meets industry standards. Make sure there are no blankets, soft bedding, toys, pillows or bumpers in the cot.
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Sleep your baby in your room for the first 6 months
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Breastfeed your baby if possible.
OWNA
Please ensure to regularly check the posts on OWNA as this is currently one of our main sources of communication.
Posts are sent regularly about attendances, events and general reminders.
Signing-in/out
It is a government requirement for every parent or carer to sign your child in & out of Happy Days for your correct attendance.
Your Centrelink entitlements will be affected for non-compliance.
LABEL LABEL LABEL
A BIG reminder to please label your children’s belongings. If a "loss" item isn’t collected within 2 weeks, they will go towards our MS fundraising bin.
Happy Days is not responsible for any lost item.
Policy Reviews
Every month we review a set of policies to ensure that they are relevant and up to date according to regulations. You are invited to provide feedback on our policy of the month below (send your feedback to westhoxton@happydayskindy.com):
The below policies are in the process of being reviewed and updated for 2025. Members of our parent committee and extended families are encouraged to access and review our policies and provide feedback. Policies are also available on OWNA.
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Additional Needs Policy
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Administration of Medication Policy
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Managing an Aggressive Person/Visitor Policy
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Safe Arrival of Children Policy
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Supervision Policy
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Two-Way Radio Policy
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Staff Wellness Policy
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Anti-Bias and Inclusion Policy
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Gender Equity Policy
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Family Communication Policy
Absences
If your child is going to be absent from the centre, please call our centre landline on (02) 9825 8822 or our centre mobile on 0426 972 893 to inform the staff. Notifying us of your child’s absence allows us to open that spot to a family that might need it as a casual day.
FOB keys
We would also like to remind parents to please use their FOB key when entering the centre and refrain from using the doorbell, quite often educators are busy attending to your children and do not have the time to keep letting parents in, so please expect wait times at the door if this is so. If you have misplaced your FOB key or need to grab another one, we will happily replace it please just let an educator know.
Risk Assessments
Risk assessments are continuously being updated and reviewed, feel free to access some risk assessments via OWNA and others in our risk assessment folder located in the office.
What we've been Up To
Shrove Tuesday/Pancake Day
Shrove Tuesday, often known as Pancake Day, is a joyful celebration observed in many Christian countries, including Australia. Little Learners and Big Explorers, the children had a great time making their own pancakes. They used paper plates and small cut-out fruits to add fun decorations on top of their pancake. Happy Days also hosted a delightful morning tea for families, inviting them to share delicious treats with their children in celebration of Pancake Day. The spread featured a wide range of tasty options, including muffins, pancakes, fruits, waffles, and more. While enjoying their pancakes, parents participated in a craft activity alongside their children, where they designed their own pancake creations using colourful pencils and various textures.
Holi Celebration
At Happy Days West Hoxton, the Little Learners and Big Explorers came together to celebrate Holi, the festival of colours, with infectious enthusiasm. The day kicked off with engaging discussions about the significance of Holi, where children shared what they knew and learned about this joyous occasion. Armed with paintbrushes and an array of bright paint, they had dived into craft activities, creating handprint designed cards and artwork to express their excitement.
As the highlight of the day approached, excited cheers were evident, they lined up, ready to partake in the exhilarating experience. As the countdown began, the air burst with joy when colourful powders flew in all directions, enveloping the children in a kaleidoscope of hues. The festival of Holi not only filled the day with fun but also fostered a sense of belonging among the Little Learners and Big Explorers, leaving a lasting impression of shared happiness.
St. Patricks Day
On Monday the 17th of March Happy Days celebrated St. Patricks Day! Children and educators came dressed in their favourite green clothing and joined in some festive activities. In the Little Learners room, the children participated in a leprechaun handprint craft and created a marshmallow stamp four leave clover. In the Big Explores room, they created a clover craft and joined a group painting! Everyone also joined a gold coin hunt and enjoyed festive food!
Harmony Day
On Friday the 21st of March, Happy Days celebrated Harmony Day. The children came dressed in orange as well as the educators! Harmony Day is a special day where we celebrate multiculturism and embrace differing cultures! Throughout the day the children engaged in an array of Harmony based crafts! In the Big Explorers room, they created a ‘Harmony Tree’ where they painted coloured balls with their faces and then placed them onto the tree. In the Little Learners room, they created a group hand painting and a water painting! Educators also played a variety of different cultural songs for children to listen to whilst they played as well as in a dance party! For Lunch time and afternoon tea, our amazing parents brought in food from their different cultures. Educators served this for the children, and they loved sharing their meals with their peers!
Clean up Australia Day
This year for clean-up Australia Day, both our Big Explorers and Little Learners headed to Greenway Park Oval to make a positive impact on the environment. The children wore gloves and had a grabber reach tool each, were they worked together to collect plastic and rubbish and safely placing it into the nearby bins or bags provided. Through this hands-on experience, the children learned the importance of taking care of their planet and keeping our community clean.
Eid al-Fitr
At Happy Days Kindergarten we are excited to celebrate Eid with and engaging activities for the children. As part of the festivities, the children will be making lolly bags to share the joy of giving. We will also have meaningful discussion about Eid -what it is, why it is celebrated, and the special traditions that make this day so joyful. In addition, the children will get creative with special Eid themed craft, allowing then to express themselves while learning about this festive occasion. Happy Eid to all the parents who are celebrating – we wish you a joyful and blessed celebration.
Educator of the month
This year we have implemented a new program for our educators; An “Educator of the Month”. Each month, Miss Ashley, as our Director and ECT, will observe the educators in all aspects of the day, collecting evidence of their work, their practice and involvement with their daily responsibilities. At the end of the month, the educator who has achieved the most, shown imitative, gone above and beyond in their role will be rewarded with “Educator of the month’ along with a small prize. This isn’t just for the benefit of staff development and prizes, this motivates the educators to excel in all areas, including Quality Area 5- Relationships with Children.
This month (March), Miss Hannah won Educator of the month. Miss Hannah has stepped up immensely, assisting Miss Ashley in the administrative role. She has taken on the role of Educational Leader and has done so well throughout the take over. Well Done Miss Hannah!
Focus Learning Programs
Eco-Warriors
Happy Days Sustainability Program
This month we focused on our new topic "Return and Earn"! This topic was all about teaching the children about the government initiative where we return eligible cans and bottles, and we receive 10c for each one we collect in return. Our centre has been collecting these last few weeks and we have managed to save $11 out of our $150 goal. We would like to remind parents to continue donating bottles and cans to the centre. All money raised will be going towards buying eco-warrior activity resources.
Our big explorers have done a bunch of fun and educational activities this month. The children joined Miss Hannah to watch and educational video on how return and earn works and what they will be doing for the month. The children also enjoyed doing a fun colouring in activity while Miss Hannan explained how a cool machine takes bottles and gives us money in return. In our little learners room, the children started off their topic creating and decorating a return and earn letter that outlined our intentions for this month. We then moved onto making a return and earn sign for our return and earn bin. The children used paint and balloon to decorate our sign. We then moved onto doing a cool treasure hunt! Miss Shania hid bottles and cans in our garden for the children to find and collect! We will be using & them to play our return and earn game next week!
Miss Hannah, Miss Josephine and Miss Shania
Munch and Move
Happy Days Health & Fitness Program
This month, during our Munch and Move program, the Little Learners and Big Explorers have been diving into the world of ‘Fruits’. Learning about fruits is essential for children because it exposes them to healthy food choices, teaches them about various colours, shape, and textures, and helps enhance their fine motor skills through activities like washing, peeling, and cutting. It also provides a change to explore where food comes from, appreciate cultural diversity, and understand healthy eating habits. The Little Learners and Big Explorers have engaged in a range of fun activities, including making their own fruit baskets, playing a memory card game with fruit flashcards, tasting different fruits like peaches, orange, apple, passion fruit, pomegranates, persimmon and even creating a tasty rainbow fruit salad for their afternoon tea.
Playing and Learning to Socialise (PALS)
Happy Days Social Skills Program
This month at happy days kindergarten our pals program focuses on the important topic of asking for help. The children have learned not only how to ask for help but also who to ask when they need assistance, whether its from their educators or their peers. They have been exploring what they need help with such as completing a task, solving a problem. Or simply understanding something better. The children have actively communication with their educators an, which has been fantastic to witness, we're so proud of their progress in building these important social and emotional skills.
Miss Halima
Projects
Happy Days In-Depth Learning Program
This month, in the Little Learners classroom, the children are still loving sea creatures! They enjoy reading books about sea animals, especially ones where they can find different animals hiding. The children learned about crabs and made fun paper plate crab paintings & also went on a sea creature hunt around the classroom where they found their favourite ones. The Big Explorers participated in many fun, interactive activities like rescuing the sea animals, creating octopus footprint crafts, Ocean scene collage and playing a sea creature matching game with their peers. It has been a lot of fun learning!
Miss Maddison, and Miss Feyza
Centre with a Heart
Happy Days In-Depth Learning Program
Centre with a Heart is back in full swing for 2025. If you haven’t already noticed our red and white MS bin outside. Any old clothing can be donated to this bin to help out families in need (MS do not accept any toys). We also have our basket in the foyer from Shining Stars who accept new pantry and hygiene items to help the less fortunate. Feel free to drop something off during your morning/afternoon pick-ups, once these containers are filled the companies will be contacted for them to be collected.
Classroom News
The Little Learners Room
6 weeks to 3 years old
This month in the Little Learners room the children have been learning about ‘Community Workers’ & ‘Seasons’. In our Community Workers topic, the children participated in garbage truck craft, cotton ball teeth and band aid bear craft! Then we transitioned on to Seasons were the children created snowflakes, handprint leaves and created a summer collage. We also made a sensory snow man and a spring themed sensory bin! The Little Learners loved exploring all of the different types of season and the range of colours that come along with each change in the seasons.
Miss Feyza, Miss Shipra, Miss Shania and Miss Josephine
The Big Explorers Room
The Discoverers (3-4 yrs old)
& The Inventors (4-6 yrs old)
As the big explorers dove into vibrant arts and crafts activities, it was heartwarming to witness their genuine curiosity and respect for the diverse cultural backgrounds represented within the room. They engaged enthusiastically in projects that celebrated various traditions, each child contributing their unique perspectives and talents to the creations. Recently, they participated in an exciting craft activity that illuminated the significance of Ramadan, sparking thoughtful discussions about its customs and meanings. Observing the children as they discovered elements of each other's cultures has been a joy; they embraced the opportunity to learn not just through words, but through the hands-on experience that art provides, fostering a sense of connection and appreciation for the rich tapestry of traditions that make up their community.
The Discoverers
(3-4yrs old)
This month’s focus topic was colours, and what a month it’s been! The Discoverers have made amazing progress with their understanding and use of colours, and it’s been great to see their creativity come to life. Miss Halima has done a wonderful job creating fun, age-appropriate activities that helped the children explore the topic in exciting ways. It’s been a fantastic month filled with learning, fun experiences, and colourful discoveries.
Miss Halima
The Inventors
(4-6 yrs old)
Happy Days School Readiness Program
During small group experience, the children showcased remarkable enthusiasm and focus as they engaged in various activities designed to enhance their fine motor skills. As they worked with cubes, they carefully placed each one according to the numbers shown, demonstrating their ability to follow instructions and improve their hand-eye coordination.
Another exciting station involved dropper painting, where the children used pipettes to create beautiful, colourful designs on paper. Their concentration was evident as they mastered the technique of squeezing and releasing the dropper. Meanwhile, the scissor salad activity brought laughter and as they practiced cutting different shapes, leading to a delightful mix of paper "vegetables." The children also enjoyed rainbow matching and name tracing, which provided additional opportunities to refine their motor skills. Each experience not only cultivated their abilities but also encouraged teamwork and interaction, celebrating their achievements in a fun and engaging way.
Miss Hannah and Miss Maddison
Big Explorers Fortnightly Walk abouts
Commencing in 2025, the Big Explorers are heading outdoors and exploring our local neighbourhood. Every fortnight, 10 children accompanied by their educators will walk on three different routes. These walks will provide the children with the opportunity to get in some fresh air, increase their physical strength and enjoy some time outside of the centre with their peers. During their walks, they will be prompted with different goals to complete for example observing what they see and then coming back to the centre and engaging in a drawing. The children will occasionally be able to visit the local park as a special treat!
Recipe of the Month
manoosh pizza
What you need
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For a simple manoushe pizza (Lebanese flatbread pizza), you'll need basic ingredients like flour, water, yeast, and salt for the dough, plus za'atar (a spice blend) and olive oil for the topping, and optional toppings like cheese, labneh, or vegetables.
Step-By-Step Instructions
1. Make the dough—If you're using cup measurements, use the spoon and level method to measure flour. Add all of the ingredients to a stand-mixer bowl. Use speed 1 to mix everything, then change to speed two and knead for 10 minutes. You'll have a sticky dough.
2. Rise the dough—Grease your hands with oil, to prevent the dough from sticking. Form the dough into a ball and place it in a lightly greased bowl. Cover it tightly with cling film and leave it to rise until it doubles its size, around 1-1.5 hours, depending on your kitchen temperature.
3. Prepare the topping and oven—Meanwhile, add zaatar and extra virgin olive oil in a bowl. Mix well and set aside. Preheat your oven to 480℉ (250℃) without the fan, placing the rack on the highest level with a pizza stone on it for at least 30 minutes before cooking these Lebanese flatbreads.
CHEF SHALOO
Families & Community Partnership
POISON SAFETY: Unfortunately, our little ones have a bad habit of getting sick quite frequently. When they are ill, we often administer different medicines to aid in fighting against the sickness.
Parents and carers must ensure that they appropriately store and handle different medications, ensuring that their children are not at risk of any serious accidents such as ingesting medication.
Some ways that we can prevent an incident from occurring is:
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Store all medicines in a locked and high cupboard that is out of reach to all children. Children are great climbers so make sure cupboards are locked with a safety latch for further prevention.
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Make sure all bags and purses that may have medications are placed up high and out of reach of children
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Keep all medications in original containers
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Be aware of what medications you have in the household and the quantity of each.
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Don’t underestimate your child’s ability to open up packages. Some child resistant packages are still not child proof.
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Never tell a child that medicine tastes like candy
In the event of an accident occurring, you are to call the Poisons Information Hotline (13 11 26) to provide you with the necessary information. If your child has stopped breathing or collapsed call 000. First aid is to be administered immediately in any circumstance.
SUSTAINABILITY AT HOME: At Happy Days we encourage all to be environmentally sustainable and be conscientious of the way we treat our world. Through our educational programs we are providing children with lots of ecological experiences. In doing this we are moulding their mind and teaching them about how we can care for the environment and help it flourish.
One way that we can not only be cost efficient but also sustainable is by reducing our water usage whilst at home.
Some ways we can limit out water waste is by:
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Using a low flow shower head and taking shorter showers
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Instal a duel flush toilet and educate children on the correct way to flush the toilet
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Repair all leaky taps
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Use a front load washing machine
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Collect rainwater to reuse on plants and lawn
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Do not run the tap unnecessarily
CHILD SAFETY:
It is very important that we are always keeping our children safe whilst in vehicles. By using the correct car seats that are properly fitted can reduce the risk of injury by 71%.
According to the NSW centre for road safety:
- for children up to 6 months they need to be seated in an approved rear facing car seat
- from 6 months – 4 years they can sit in either a rear or forward-facing car seat
- from 4 years + children can sit in either a front facing car seat or booster seat
- for children who are 145 cm or taller they can use the adult lap sash seatbelt
SAFE SLEEP PRACTICES:
Safe sleep practices you can implement in your home
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Always place baby on back for sleep, not on their tummy or side
-
Keep your baby’s head and face uncovered. Covering baby’s face or head with clothing such as a hat increases the risk of sudden infant death.
-
Keep your baby smoke-free before and after birth.
-
Have a safe sleeping environment night and day. Make sure the mattress is firm, clean and flat, in a safe cot that meets industry standards. Make sure there are no blankets, soft bedding, toys, pillows or bumpers in the cot.
-
Sleep your baby in your room for the first 6 months
-
Breastfeed your baby if possible.
INCLUSIVE PROGRAM: At Happy Days our educators work together to ensure that we are an inclusive centre.
To be inclusive means to embrace all people irrespective of race, gender, disability, medical or other need. It is about giving equal access and opportunities and getting rid of discrimination.
As part of Inclusive Program, we offer resources to all families in different languages to ensure everyone is receiving the support and information they need. This month's topic is:
"Encouraging Positive Behaviour"
Arabic
كجزء من البرنامج الشامل ، نقدم موارد لجميع العائلات بلغات مختلفة لضمان حصول الجميع على الدعم والمعلومات التي يحتاجون إليها. موضوع هذا الشهر هو:
نصائح حول تشجيع السلوك اإليجابي
Vietnamese
Là một phần của Chương trình Hòa nhập, chúng tôi cung cấp tài nguyên cho tất cả các gia đình bằng các ngôn ngữ khác nhau để đảm bảo mọi người đều nhận được sự hỗ trợ và thông tin họ cần. Chủ đề của tháng này là